Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-01-07


waters abound. Herring arrive in vas
shoals along the whole southern coast
The mackerel are equal in size ant
flavor to those caught in Atlantic waters
In San Francisco they have sold for s24
per barrel. Herring oil fisheries. neal
Sitka, two years ago. produced $50, ,Q0O
gallons Of oil. Last year they produced
100000 gallons. The product fol
this year will, 1t is thought, be still
greater. In 1880 the Alaskan fisheries
proper were valued at total OF $565,.
600. These figures, of course. do moi
approach those for the fur-seal industry,
but the time will come when they will
fer surpass them. The one must de-
crease, the other increase.
The fur interests of Alaska well
might receive rs much space as this
whole article, so great are they and so
varied is their history. But the sketch
here must be brief. The Russian COM
pany during its first term, with an
original capital of 723,000 rubles, in
creased afterward to l 1,23S, 740 rubtes,
obtained between 1907 and 1920, a
period of % years, net earnings OF
| 1865, COS rubles, of which 1880 600
rubles were distributed as dividends
and the remainder added TO the capital,
making It about 4.570,0 600 rubles.
During the ensuing period of 2l years
the yield fell of considerably, but the
dividends did not There were sh p
| ped in that time $4,000 sea-otter, 49,
900 fur seal, l62,QJ0 beaver, and 160,-
600 fox skins, 1888, 900 pounds of whale
bone, and 100000 pounds of walrus
tusks. The sum distributed among the
shareholders for this period was about
$500. 900 rubles, or double the sum for
the first period. For the third and last
term there was further increase, the
dividend amounting TO 10, ,2l0, 900 rubles,
or an increase of nearly IL per cent
The working capital had now
become over l3,600,0 ru-
bles. The receipts for this third term
exceeded 75,T00,O00 rublcs. The nero
statement of these figures is sufficiently
forcible. OF the fur operations since the
American purchase, it may be said that
between 1871 and 1888 about IS, ,000,0
was paid TO the United States Govern
ment as rent of the Prybilof Islands and
tax on scalskins. The Alaska CONNER
cial Company for these seal islands
originally contracted to pay fixed
rental TO the Government OF $50, 900 a
year. besides tax of S262l on each
fur-seal skin and 55 cents per gallon on
seal oil shipped from thom. They also
engaged to maintain d ichool on each
island, and TO furnish the natives with
certain amounts of food and firewood
free Of charge. Between 1870 and 1888
our average revenue was about $3 Il, 900.
For last year the company paid tho
Government $262, ,437, the number of
sealskins taken being 99,9So. AT the
time the company acquired its lease il
represented u capital Of $4,000, 600 and
owned 80 trading posts in various parts
of the country. 1t gathered last year
nne-tenths OF the worlds supply Of sea-
otter skins. The catch now averages
from 5000 to 5000 n year, which is
more than double the number secured be-
fore the purchase. These skins arc
worth from $75 TO 800 in London.
About 1900 blue fox skins are taken.
The other, resources of the country |
are several in number, but their full |
value remains TO be revealed. Coal
has been found near the mouth of Cook |
Inlet From 1887 TO 1861 over 2,700
tons were mined by the Russians, the
value OF which was estimated at 46, 900
rubles. The thickness of the vein va
ricI from nine to twelve feet, with 20
per cent. OF mineral. Its extent was
great. The coal future of Alaska may
be very great Petroleum of good
quality has been found near the same
regon. Copper was known to the ma
tivcs and used by them. Masses weigh
ing thirty pounds and over have been
found. On Prince of Wales Island there
it>.a valuable copper mna, Lead has
been found in several places, though
not in large deposits. Silver ore assay
ing $3.50 ton was found in 1881, but
Il was thirty miles from tidewatcr. Gold
has been found in hundred streams,
but the mining of il there has never yet
been made very successful On a gold
mine at Douglas Island, known as the
Paris Lode, 100000 has been expend-
ed, and Mr.. Bancroft says the results
have "fully justified the outlay" A
stamp mill, with capacity of 800 tons
A day, was completed in the summer of
last year, and between June 10 and
September 10 the aggregate yield
to Sl56,0 though the mill
stood still for one-third of the period in
Of dry season. These re-
Iults led the company to undertake to
erect TWO additional furnaces and to
place electric lights in the mill, mine
md surrounding works.
Mr.. Whymper's visit to this country
vas made soon after the purchase. He
heard everywhere on his way across the
continent expressions of disapproval of
he steps taken ly the administration.
Alaska was satir.cally named ''Wal- |
'us-sia, and mock advertisements APP
'eared offering the highest price for
waste lands, worn-out colonies. and ,
and undiscovered islands.
The impression he got from the coun-
ry, however was n favorable one. He {
vas unwilling to believe that the bar
,ain would prove bad one. This was '
i time when II would have been easy '
nd natural-ospecially for an English. i
nan Ito take the other view. 1t is re- s
orded OF Mr.. Seward that when some q
ma asked him what he considered the d
most important measure OF his political O
areer he replied: 1.-The purchase OF t
Alaska, hut il will take the people u v
TO find it out. The fore o
DING summary of the resources Of $
llaska may help to show hoA near t
lght was the great Secretary. IN Y S
Imes. n
Unconscious veracity. !